The invention relates to arched, translucent covers for hothouses, swimming pools, tennis courts and other facilities. It relates more particularly to arched other composed of several parallel sections which are adapted to be nested one into another at one end of the covered area, in order to expose the ground or pool to the open air, weather allowing.
Translucent covers of the aforementioned kind are known to the art; they consist generally of a number of rigid girders in arch-shape which are interconnected, either to form a complete, non-openable cover or which are transferable to one end of the area, whereby the material covering the structure is in the form of pliable plastic sheets which fold and hang down between each pair of girders.
Roofs for hothouses are known to comprise a structure of parallel, rigidly interconnected ribs bent from galvanized tubes covered by polyethylene sheeting which is fastened to the tubes by riveting, bolting or the like. However, these are generally suitable for small spans only.
Still other translucent covers comprise plane or corrugated panels of polycarbonate, fastened to steel structures of various designs.
It is the object of the present invention to provide translucent, arched covers of large spans, which can be rapidly erected and dismantled and which do not require fastening of translucent sheet material by means of bolts and rivets, with inherent drilling and tapping on site.
It is another object to provide such arched covers in sections of slightly different arch-dimensions which are movable along the sides of the covered area and nestable one in another at the end of the covered area leaving the swimming pool or other sports ground open to the fresh air.
It is still another object to produce the components of the structure of pressed, rolled or extruded bar material which lends itself to ready bending into arcuate shape, instead of the hitherto known girders which are far from being labour-efficient.